Pages

Why I Don't Watch the News

You’re probably wondering how can someone who works in television news not
watch the news? Although it seems inconceivable, it’s true. When I’m
not at work, I do not watch the news, opting instead for shows that
allow me to get away from reality or getting lost in a good book
instead.

That’s not to say that I’m only interested in news
while I’m at work. I still read articles online and stay up to date on
what’s happening around the world through various social media. Opting
for my laptop, tablet or phone has distinct advantages over the
television for me, namely in that I get to choose the news I want to
see.

Let me explain. All day long Monday through Friday I
choose news for other people. That’s what producers do. They craft
shows for their audience, picking the stories other people want to know
about over the stories we find interesting. That’s not to say that I
don’t understand the importance of the stories we’re running. I do. But
you’ve got to understand that I’m living in those stories all day long.

For me, it’s much more interesting to watch a news
broadcast for the way it’s put together. I like to see which stories a
producer has deemed the most important, their presentation of the
content and the anchor interaction. I have a hard time watching the news
as a viewer. Instead, I find myself watching as a producer, analyzing shots and story placement, in essence picking the show apart.

Perhaps a bigger reason why I don’t watch the news
is this – after working in it all day long, the last thing I want to do
when I get home is watch even more. Simply put, I need a break. If I
immersed myself in news all the time, I’d probably go crazy. I’d most
likely be depressed. At the very least my stress level would be through
the roof, not to mention my blood pressure.

Here’s the simplest way I can put it: the news is
my job, and while it’s a very important part of my life, I refuse to let
it control my life.

You May Also Like

1 comments

Hi, Ashton! That's perfectly understandable and I was the same way. When I finished the cast and punched the time clock, I wanted entertainment, fantasy and escape, not more news. In fact, that's why I left the news business and got into entertainment. It was much more to my liking, more like fun than work, and I wasn't as eager to get away from it at the end of my shift.

When I watch local or national newscasts on TV, I watch with the same critical eye and pick them apart. When watching a local news program, I often shout at the set because I would have produced it differently and, I think, better. Actually, I do the same thing when I watch movies. The director in me identifies lapses in continuity, bad editing and other errors that I would have avoided.

Please smooch your little girl for me, Ashton, and post more pictures of her soon.